The Oakland Post, week of March 1 - 7, 2023

North Oakland Baptist Church Needs Help to Prevent Foreclosure Sale

est Black church in Oakland, at 118 years. Having served the community for nearly 32 years, Reverend Sylvester Rutledge leads the church as its 5th pastor.

By Carla Thomas North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church (NOMBC) located

For Rutledge, it has been an honor to lead a congregation, share his faith and be a resource for the community. The church shepherds 65 units of senior housing, feeds the homeless three times a week and has assisted some of the most vulnerable citizens of the city. Now, Rutledge is in need of the community’s help to save the

church from a forced courthouse sale on March 17.

Currently the church owes $43,000 in back taxes owed on the parking lot on an adjacent property bought by the church. The church has been unable to make the payments. With a two-week deadline, the situation has placed a high level of stress on church members and its leadership.

Rutledge, age 86, explained that prior to becoming pastor, houses on the property were removed to create a parking lot, with

taxes exempted. While paying annual city taxes, church administrators believed all taxes were current, until the County advised the church they were in arrears by 5 years. Rutledge says church administrators worked with the county to get the bill reduced but COVID interrupted some of the communications and processes.

“With offices closed and no continuity during the pandemic, it created more barriers than solutions,” said Rutledge.

With no alternatives, the

church is hoping to raise the funds needed to keep the church. Without a church home, dozens of congregants would be displaced.

For Dr. Wayne E. Gaddis, president of the California Missionary Baptist Church State Conference, the matter is both urgent and personal. “Last August, our California Missionary Baptist Church Conference anniversary celebration was held at North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church because our conference was birthed there,” said Gaddis who just found

out about NOMBC’s crisis last week.

“We cannot afford to lose another Black church. We’ve set up donation accounts through Givlify

Oakland Post

‘Barbara Lee Speaks for Me’ Rallying Call as Congresswoman Kicks Off Senate Run

Does Holy Names University Need to Close Down? HNU’s Bond-Holder Says ‘No’

By Ken Epstein

When the Holy Names University Board of Trustees declared in December 2022 that the college was closing, they said they could not afford to remain open and were under pressure to repay a recent $50 million loan.

However, the lender, Preston Hollow Community Capital (PHCC), is saying something quite different. In a recent letter to City of Oakland officials, the lender wrote:

“It is important that we make two things abundantly clear. 1) HNU decided, on its own and over PHCC’s objections, to close down – despite the fact that we have expressed a clear and ongoing commitment to help them overcome their challenges; and 2) PHCC is committed to doing everything it can to keep this campus as an institution of higher education rather than watch it be bought and sold to the highest bidder for some other purpose,” including “potentially for luxury real estate develop-

ment.”

In the letter, Preston Hollow describes itself as “a leading social impact investor in the United States. We invest in and assist projects of significant social and economic importance to local communities.”

For example, in January they created a project to assist Howard University, assist the historically Black college, in Wash., D.C., with a $300 million tax-exempt bondfinancing arrangement.

In its letter to Oakland officials, Preston Hollow reached out to work with the city to save the campus as a center for higher education in Oakland.

“Please accept this letter as the beginning of a line of dialogue between PHCC and Oakland city leaders,” the letter said. “We are committed to working with you collaboratively – and hopefully with HNU’s collaboration as well.”

Some people in the Oakland community are questioning wheth-

By Carla Thomas Congresswoman Barbara

Lee, a longtime advocate for social justice and civil rights, kicked off her Senate campaign at Laney College on Saturday, February 25.

Nearly 1,000 supporters, waving green and gold flags, banners, and pom-poms of support chanted

“Barbara Lee speaks for me.”

Lee decided to run for Senate when Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced on February 14 that she would not seek another term in 2024.

Speakers in support of Lee included San Francisco Mayor London Breed, State Controller Malia Cohen, and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond among others.

“We are here because we know what she is capable of,” said Breed.

“Today is the beginning. Folks are already trying to write her off, but we’re gonna fight for her every day. We’re gonna raise the money, get communities to vote. This is the beginning of the future for the next generation, and we need her

Community Rally Backs

Mayor Sheng Thao’s Firing of OPD Chief Armstrong

By Post Staff

Supporters of Oakland Mayor

voice.”

Lee took the stage glowing with happiness, wearing a winter white blazer bearing her sorority pin, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., one of the Divine Nine historically Black fraternal organizations.

She talked about her two sheroes: her mother Mildred Parish Massey and Shirley Chisolm, the first Black woman to run for the U.S. presidency.

“My mother always taught me that justice was possible if the courageous were willing to fight,” she said. With the support of the NAACP, a teenaged Lee became San Fernando High School’s first Black cheerleader after initially being rejected.

As a student at Mills College, Lee was a part of history while working for Shirley Chisholm on her 1972 presidential campaign. “Shirley taught me courage and endurance,” Lee said.

At age 76, Lee has exhibited just that. In her record as a con-

Sheng Thao held a rally this week praising the mayor for firing OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong and for demonstrating her firm commitment to implement constitutional policing in Oakland that protects all its residents.

Thao has faced protests by the chief’s backers when the chief was placed on administrative leave with pay and then fired several weeks ago, after investigators found he had failed to hold an officer accountable for misconduct. After being placed on administrative leave with pay, the chief had spoken at rallies denouncing the federal court-appointed overseer and said that he made no mistakes in his handling of a police misconduct case.

Speakers at the rally on Tuesday, which included Oakland’s Chinatown community and the Oakland Progressive Alliance, said the firing was necessary if Oakland hopes to end 20 years of federal oversight of its police department.

“We stand with the actions

By Post Staff

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors this week refused to review the county’s ongoing eviction moratorium, which means the pandemic-passed tenant protections will expire at the end of April. Supervisors also voted down three tenant protection bills backed by pro-tenant groups.

Dozens of landlords and tenant activists showed up Tuesday for the board meeting with competing demands, where supervisors

said there was no point in discussing whether to lift the moratorium since a ban could go into effect only a few days before the current moratorium is set to expire on April 29.

Board members also rejected three tenant protection ordinances, which had appeared likely to pass before recent changes in the composition of the board.

Supervisors said they sought to balance the concerns of landlords upset by the almost three-year eviction ban and desperate needs

of tenants struggling to survive in the midst of rampant inflation and high rents.

“We need to focus on the future and what that looks like, instead of continuing to stay in the ring and battling it out on this issue,” said Supervisor Keith Carson, quoted by Bay City News Group (BCN) online.

Supervisor David Haubert had supported ending the moratorium but said there was little reason to vote on it at this late date.

“Now it seems rather moot

that will continue to move the city out of the long shadow of federal oversight, scandal, coverups and into an era of accountability and transparency between the community and the police department,” said Saabir Lockett of East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, quoted by NBC Bay Area.

Speakers at Tuesday’s rally did not offer specific reasons why they felt the chief needed to be dismissed, but said they believe the mayor’s actions pave a path to accountability for the entire police department.

“Our community needs changes; they need reform,” said Kenneth Tang with APEN Action Oakland, quoted by NBC. “They want to see improvement in their communities and accountability is the first step to ensure public servants are being accountable for.”

Walter Riley, an Oakland civil rights attorney, said the opposition to the mayor was fueled by people who were upset that she had won the election and hoped to

if we put this item on a future agenda,” Haubert said, quoted by BCN.

There are reports across the Bay Area of a large upsurge in eviction lawsuits after pandemic tenant protections came to an end.

However, eviction protections remain in effect in Oakland, which will continue at least through March; San Leandro, with eviction safeguards lasting until next February; and Berkeley, with protections for many renters until the end of August.

North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Sylvester Rutledge with family and church members out side the church.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee kicks off her campaign for the U.S. Senate at rally at Laney College on Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas

Landlords Protest Eviction Moratorium at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting, Feb. 27, 2023. Photo courtesy of Yahoo.com.

Taxes on Wealthy Could Fund Reparations, Lawyers Tell Task Force

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Two tax planning lawyers shared their perspectives on one of the ways to pay for the racial injustices suffered by Black Californians with the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans.

At the task force’s last two-day meeting held in San Diego on Jan. 27-28, the estate and tax planning attorneys Raymond “Ray” Odom and Sarah Moore-Johnson proposed several options to the ninemember task force for funding reparations through the federal tax code system — including an estate tax as a means to increase racial equity.

The tax discussion, held about a month ago, was a lead-in to the task force’s next meeting in Sac-

South African Play Explores Impact of Historic Xhosa Prophetess Nongqawuse

ramento focused on compensation and titled “Redressing the Harms Delineated in Report 1.”

That meeting will be held over two days, Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 at the Byron Sher Auditorium at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) headquarters, beginning at 9 a.m. both days.

Moore-Johnson kicked off her presentation at the San Diego meeting during a panel titled “The Forgotten 40 Acres: Repairing Wealth Disparity Using the Estate Tax and New Charitable Incen-

create a public-private partnership to help fund reparations we could get our wealthy clients to willingly enthusiastically embrace using their own money to pay for reparations,” Moore-Johnson said. “We believe that tax deductions should be allowed for private contributions to racial repair because individual taxpayers would be paying a debt of the federal or state government on the government’s behalf,” Moore-Johnson said.

Potential revenue sources, the attorneys say, could be the state estate tax, mansion tax, graduate

By Navdeep Jassal Post News Group Contributor

Navdeep Jassal, has been traveling in South Africa for the last five months and recently had the opportunity to review a play in Johannesburg. Presented by Africa Creations Production Company, the play reveals the nature of African indigenous spirituality.

“The Rise and Fall of the African Gospel: Nongqawuse” was created, written and directed by Mbongeni Moroke who was inspired by the historic events of 1856-7 and the miseducation that followed.

Though performed in the Xhosa language, with a few short excerpts in English for non-Xhosa speakers, I had the opportunity to speak with Moroke — who portrayed Mhlakaza, a sangoma (traditional healer) and father to Nongqawuse. This article is gleaned from our conversations.

The play is about two wellknown historical figures for the Xhosa: Their young maiden prophetess, Nongqawuse, and South Africa’s first Black Christian Presbyterian minister, Tiyo Soga.

tives.” She said, “the tax code has incentivized white wealth building for years,” and that she and Odom have now found a way to redistribute wealth through tax exemptions at the state level.

“For years, Ray and I intuitively understood that if we could harness those tax incentives to

property tax, and metaverse tax.

Johnson mentioned that the graduate property tax revenue would not apply to California because of Proposition 13, a law that restricts increases in the state tax code.

Odom and Moor-Johnson’s

Continued on page 9

For background’s sake, it must be understood that according to African indigenous spirituality,

cows are slaughtered to summon the ancestors’ protection. In 1856, cattle represented the primary measure of wealth among the Xhosa, and the word to the king from prophetess Nongqawuse that cattle should be killed to hide the wealth from the arriving Christian missionaries was shocking.

The message came in a time when the Xhosa nations’ strength and trust in its leadership had been eroding after a great king had been assassinated by Christian missionaries in the early 1800s following his betrayal by his own counsel and other Xhosa leaders.

That “negative aura persisted around the kings,” making for a continual threat to Xhosa unity, Moroke said.

And unity is key: According to South African spirituality, God the Creator cannot intervene in a divided nation; therefore, after the slaughter, the rising of the ancestors foreseen by Nongqawuse did not happen in the way it was expected.

Enter Tiyo Soga, the son of a chief counselor to the king who had turned away from Xhosa tradition and followed in his Christian mother’s footsteps. He eventually traveled to Scotland to study religion and theology and returned as

a Christian evangelist.

By then, Xhosa society was divided like never before. The Christian missions became the sanctuary and refuge for the hordes of hungry, famished people — their grain silos empty, their cattle no more, and their land useless.

While 16-year-old Nongqawuse was labeled a false prophet and scapegoated, Soga and lesserknown Black individuals spread the new religion by white Christian missionaries throughout Xhosa land.

Moroke’s inspiration is a righteous one: The spirit of God the Creator existed before the Bible in Africa and Moroke speaks from and uses the African indigenous spiritual lens in his work as playwright, director, actor, and musician, demonstrating that spirituality in ancient Africa was powerful.

Through entertainment, Moroke strives to re-educate Black South Africans on the value of their own history, valor and spirituality.

The opening scene takes place on Robben Island more than 100 years before Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a political prisoner there. Three broken Xhosa kings

Continued on page 9

the harm caused by their products.

The Backstory

A 1953 study by Roper, B.W. found that only 5% of African Americans smoked menthol cigarettes. A 1968 poll of People’s Cigarette Smoking Habits and Attitudes by Philip Morris showed that menthol use among Blacks had almost tripled to 14%. A report by Brown and Williamson in 1978 found that it had tripled again to 42%. By the 2000s, over 80% of Black smokers used menthol cigarettes.

COMMENTARY: Black Institutions Must Stop Taking Big Tobacco Money

By Dr. Phillip Gardiner

It’s hard to believe that with the amount of damage that the tobacco industry has inflicted on the Black community, that there are still Black organizations accepting their funding.

By doing so, these Black organizations enable the tobacco industry to portray themselves as allies to our community. They help silence our voices and efforts aimed at encouraging policymakers to take specific steps to protect our people, thus becoming complicit in our death and disease.

The problem with accepting these funds is the tobacco industry has a history of targeting and ex-

ploiting vulnerable communities, especially Black communities, through predatory advertising and marketing tactics.

Our people must be aware that accepting money from the tobacco industry contributes to the ongoing exploitation of our people through their predatory practices of marketing menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

The African American Control Tobacco Council is calling on Black organizations to be united in our fight against Big Tobacco and help save Black lives. Tobacco companies are actively opposing public health measures aimed at protecting Black Americans from

Today, 85% of Black adults and 94% of Black youth who smoke are using menthol products.

These striking statistics arise from the success of the industry’s predatory marketing of these products in our community, where there are more advertisements, and most disturbingly, menthol cigarettes are cheaper compared to other communities.

In 2022, the use of cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos was highest among Black youth. These practices, coupled with buying the silence of some Black spokespersons for the past 50 years, have led to Black Americans dying disproportionately from heart attacks, lung cancer, strokes and other tobaccorelated diseases.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

Across this country, tobacco

Nongqawuse. Wikipedia image. Tiyo Soga. Wikipedia image.

Tax attorneys Raymond Brown and Sarah Moore-Johnson (center, talking to a reporter) testified at the last Reparations Task Force Meeting in San Diego on Jan. 28, 2023. The attorneys said reparations could be funded through a state estate tax. Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

Georgetown Law School tax law professor Dorothy A. Brown offers insight on how the tax code could benefit Black Americans. Photo courtesy of California Black Media.

Dr Phillip Gardiner is the co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. Photo courtesy of Dr. Gardiner.

CalHFA Announces

More Mortgage Relief for California Families

By Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media

Earlier this month, the California Housing Financing Agency (CalHFA) and the Sacramento branch of NeighborWorks held a press conference at the state Capitol to announce the expansion of California’s mortgage relief program.

“Over the past year, the California Mortgage Relief program has been helping Californians that are most vulnerable to overcome the financial challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Tiena Johnson Hall, executive director of the California Housing Finance Agency.

One of the major new changes to eligibility, CalHFA officials say, applies to those who own residences with up to four units. Those homeowners can now apply for assistance. Relief through the program has also extended to those with partial-claim second mortgages or loan deferrals from the beginning of 2020.

Additionally, for homeowners who have missed at least two mortgage payments or one property payment before March 1 of this year, the delinquency date for payments has been reset.

Previous beneficiaries of the program are now eligible for additional funds that could add up to $80,000 in total aid. Officials say the program is meant for those

Celebrating Black History Month: Q&A with JPMorgan Chase’s Byna Elliott

who have had trouble keeping up with housing payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding for the California Mortgage relief program comes from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act’s Homeowners Assistance Fund implemented in 2021, which allocated $1 billion for eligible homeowners across the country.

According to Hall, the program has distributed federal grants and funds to over 10,000 California homeowners.

Not only is applying to the program free, but she also says, homeowners do not have to worry about paying back the relief funds.

The program is provided to homeowners through the CalHFA Homeowner Relief Corporation.

During the press conference held in the first week of Black History Month, Hall made a point to mention that those who tend to struggle with homeownership in California and the nation at large are Black.

“Black communities have been shut out of homeownership by a variety of factors including discriminatory housing practices which equates to less generational wealth,” said Hall.

Homeownership is an incredibly important tool in building generational wealth, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As we close our celebra tion of Black History Month this year, we recently sat down with Byna Elliott, globa l head of Advancing Black Pathw ays at JPMorgan Chase, to discuss what Black History Month me ans to her and how the company looks beyond the month of Februar y to advance racial equity. What does Black History Month mean to you and how did you celebrate?

Black History Month is just t hat — a celebrat ion and recognition of the r each, depth, and richness of theBlack community’s global history — as well as its connection an

Volma Volcy, founder and executive director of the Ring of Democracy, said it is important to secure the prosperity of neighborhoods where residents are at risk for foreclosure.

“When a family is displaced, a whole community is destroyed,” said Volcy.

Volcy also said that the California Mortgage Relief Program has been successful so far in providing aid for those in fear of losing their homes due to pandemic-related financial hardships.

Visit the California Mortgage Relief website (Visit https:/camortgagerelief.org ) to assess your eligibility and apply for the program.

OPINION: Black, Unhoused and Mentally Challenged: The Case for Housing and Health Care

d intersection across others. I’ m celebrating by participating in e vents uplifting that history and recognizingthechangemakersamongthe community. How is JPMorgan Chase making an impact to adv ance racial equity? D iversity, equality and inclusion have been a n important part of the culture at JPMorgan Chase and we wante d to take a look at what else we can be doing. While our work to advance racial equity has been lo ngstanding, in October 2020, we ma de a $30 billion, five-year commitment to advance racial equity that took a look at additional ways to address affordable housing,

small business, financial health, am ong other critical financial needs withinunbankedandunderbankedcommunities. We’veopened14Comm unity Center branches — l ocally-inspired and built with extra space to host freecommunityeventsandfinancialh ealth workshops — across the c ountry and hired nearly 150 CommunityManagerswhoconnectcommunity members with the resour ces we’ve created to support f inancial health education, firsttimehomebuyereducation,andmany other resources. We also havea dedicated team of certified Senior Business Consultants arou nd the country who provide free one-on-one coaching and advice t o local Black, Hispanic, Latino a ndunderbankedsmallbusinessowners on everything from boosting c reditworthiness to managing ca sh flow to effective marketing. Additionally, Chase Home Lending A dvisors are available across th e U.S. — whether you want to click, call, or visit in-branch — tohelpyouprepareforhomeownership, including identifying the righ t financing solutions and any downpayment/housingassistanceavailable. How should other companies and individuals be thinking about advancing r acial equity? We all can make an effort to help advance rac ial equity within our community — including by investing in or shopping with local diverse-o wnedbusinesses,supportingphilanth ropic efforts in our community,andparticipatingincommunityeve nts. Consider looking for diver se initiatives and business resource groups with-

in your company that focus on supp orting underserved or underrepresented communities and asking if there are opportunities to supp ort those initiatives or groups.

Forinstance,JPMorganChase’sAdvancing Black Pathways initiative w orks to support the economicempowermentoftheBlackcommunity globally. Through our Glo bal Supplier Diversity program , we’re using our purchasing power to build economic equity in diverse communities, foste r the success of underrepresented business owners, and promote equity, inclusion and sustainability across the wider business community.We also have initiatives focused on other communities, and business resource groups that share our company commitment to e quity and equality and create opportunities for employees tobe engaged. Whatareyourgoals for this year, and/or, wh at are you looking forward to in 2023? I’m looking forward to building upon the succ ess of Advancing Black Pathways, including taking our learning s since the initiative launched i n 2019 and applying them to our wor k in communities globally. Las t year, we added team members in Latin America and in the U.K., and I’m excited to work with them t o ultimately support the economic developmentofcommunitiesintherespective regions. I’m also excited about continuing to reach as many people as we can with the resources and information created by JPMorgan Chase to support their overall financial health and dreams for the future. Sponsored contentfromJPMorganChase&Co.

SEEKS SUBCONTRACTOR BIDS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECT: THE PHOENIX OWNER: EAST BAY ASIAN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORP.

BID DATE: MARCH 13TH, 2023 AT 2:00 PM

Bernards is requesting bids for the construction of a 101 unit, 100% affordable, modular development. The site address is 811 & 821 Pine Street, Oakland, CA 94607. In addition to the residences, the development includes a mix of uses including amenity and community meeting spaces. You are hereby invited to submit a bid for the scopes of work shown and/or specified in the documents. Please note that California residential prevailing wages are required.

The goal for the Phoenix project is to use 50% City of Oakland L/SLBE authorized subcontractors, subject to City of Oakland completion of an Availability Analysis. For non-L/LSBE Subcontractors, please consider L/SLBE authorized firms when selecting sub-tiers and vendors to help utilizing L/LSBE firms.

The project will follow Section 3 HUD requirements, City of Oakland regulations, including the City of Oakland local hire requirement of 50% local workers or more per Subcontractor based on hours worked. Refer to the following Section 3 and City of Oakland resources for more information: https://www. hud.gov/section3 and https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/local-employment-program

A Job Walk will be held on Monday, February 27, 2023 from 9:00-10:00 AM at 811 Pine Street, Oakland, CA 94607. We strongly encourage all bidders and L/LSBE subcontractors/vendors to attend. Please RSVP for the Job Walk by emailing bid@bernards.com

In California, 43% of the Black Californians interviewed reported that someone close to them has experienced homelessness. Shutterstock photo.

By Dr. Lenore A. Tate

Special to California Black

Media Partners

Numerous studies have confirmed that homelessness and behavioral and mental health problems affect African Americans at disproportionate rates in California and around the United States.

On a very primary and personal level, homelessness affects an individual’s mental health. Looking at the data: approximately 30% of people who are chronically unhoused have a mental health condition, about 50% have a cooccurring substance use problem and 42% have a disabling condition such as a developmental disability, HIV/AIDS or injuries from

combat such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

In California, 43% of the Black Californians interviewed reported that someone close to them has experienced homelessness — a rate much higher than any other racial group in the survey, according to a survey conducted by the California Health Care Foundation.

Black women in particular are at a higher risk for exposure to mental health stresses.

“A variety of circumstances put Black women at high risk for mental and emotional stress — economic insecurity, responsibilities of caregiving, neighborhood violence, lack of social support and physical illness or

Plans & Specifications: Plans and specifications are available now. You may view or purchase plans through our reprographics company at www.Bidmail.com and/or requesting a bid invitation by emailing bid@bernards.com.

disability,” reads the website of the California Black Women’s Health Project.

“As a result, many are plagued by tension, anxiety, worry and fear. Because of the powerful and complex links between the mind, emotions and body, chronic states of stress and anxiety can have dangerous and sometime fatal, health consequences. In addition, the daily struggles of coping with racism and sexism further exacerbate mental and emotional stress,” the write-up on the website reports.

When these intersecting issues go unaddressed, they can compound and adversely affect individuals.

Continued on page 6

By submitting a bid, subcontractor confirms they have reviewed Bernards’ Subcontract Agreement and will execute said Agreement without modification. Please review all Bernards’ Standard Subcontract documents and forms on our website: https:// www.bernards.com/industry-partners/.

Bernards is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to; and encourages the participation of MBEs, WBEs, DBEs, SBEs, DVBEs, LSAs and OBEs and requires submittal with their bid the certification form from the authorizing agency.

Participation in Bernards’ Prequalification process improves our ability to collaborate with Subcontractors while providing them with the benefit of inclusion in potential select project lists. Please contact SubcontractorPrequalification@bernards.com for Prequalification documents.

If you have any questions about this project, please contact us at: Bernards | 1798 Technology Drive, Suite 244 | San Jose, CA 95110 (818) 898-1521 | bid@bernards.com

Contacts: Diana Eberhard, Eileen Roe, Scott Huh, Lyle Fricke

Tiena Johnson Hall. Courtesy photo.

PARK IT: Take

a

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When

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a Park

News from the East Bay Regional Park District

California Black Media Political Briefs

By Tanu Henry and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

By Tanu Henry and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Rep. Barbara Lee Holds First Campaign Rally in Oakland

Last Saturday, Rep. Barbara Lee held her first U.S. Senate campaign rally at Laney College in Oakland.

“We fight for freedom, for dignity, for justice, and, together, we win,” said Lee to a cheering crowd of supporters gathered at the Alameda County community college.

“That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate,” continued Lee, who is the highest-ranking African American woman in the U.S. Congress and the only African American so far in the 2024 California senatorial race.

Lee, 76, is serving her 12th term in the United States Congress. Known for her progressive politics, she joins the race to replace Feinstein against two other members of California’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives: Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-37), 49, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30), 62.

Several high-profile Bay Area politicians attended the rally, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the first HmongAmerican mayor of a major American city.

“Black women have been at the forefront of frontlines of the fight for freedom and dignity and justice and peace for centuries. Black women get the job done,” said Lee.

The Bontas Have (Clearly) Moved On

After weeks of facing a torrent of criticisms coming from several journalists across California — including an editorial in the L.A. Times — it seems Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and her husband, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, have moved on.

Mia Bonta showed her support for Rep. Barbara Lee after the Congresswoman held the first rally of her senatorial bid on Bonta’s Alameda County home turf.

“Barbara Lee speaks for me,” said Mia Bonta who has been keeping herself occupied tackling other issues in her district, including excessive use of force by law enforcement and the persistent digital divide affecting families of color.

Last week, Assembly Budget Committee chair Phil Ting (DSan Francisco) also released a statement assuring the public that Mia Bonta will not influence issues affecting her husband or the California Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Effective immediately in the Assembly Budget Committee, any state funding matters pertaining to the Department of Justice will be temporarily moved to and overseen by Budget Subcommittee 4,” said Ting. “DOJ’s proposed allocations will go through the same vetting process that all entities funded by California’s budget do, allowing for anyone to weigh in during public hearings.”

On Friday, Rob Bonta delivered remarks at California’s commemoration of the National Day of Racial Healing.

While pushing back on the

Anita Faith Williams, 77

media attacks, the Bontas enjoyed support from some commentators.

“The media focus should be on covering both (Rob and Mia Bonta’s) efforts to promote public safety and make California a better place for all citizens. I urge all reporters and editors to uphold the principles of responsible journalism and prioritize the truth and accuracy of their reporting over sensationalism and clickbait. The public deserves better than to be misled by unfounded innuendo,” said Paul Cobb, publisher of the Oakland Post. “The Black press has a responsibility to step up and do its part to foster a more informed and engaged public and not allow mainstream media and newspapers to marginalize Black leaders without pushing back especially when their reporting shows ignorance and fails to uphold the principles of responsible journalism.”

Assemblymembers Holden and Jones Sawyer Eye Futures in Local Government

As their time in the state Legislature gets closer to the end due to term limits, California Legislative Black Caucus members Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) and Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) have announced their future political plans.

Assemblymember Holden is entering the race for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (5th District). He’ll face Republican incumbent Kathryn Barger.

Assemblymember JonesSawyer is seeking to represent the 10th District on the Los Angeles City Council, hoping to replace

Continued on page 8

Longtime Bay Area resident Anita Faith Williams passed away on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, in Zachary, La. She was 77. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on Dec. 5, 1945, and spent much of her adult life as a vibrant, engaged activist in the California Bay Area.

As Congresswoman Barbara Lee said, “Anita was a political force in the Bay Area and an unbelievable field and casework staffer. As a member of the California Democratic Party and the Niagara Movement Democratic Club, she was committed to progressive causes that improved the lives of the most vulnerable.”

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

The Bookworm Sez, LLC

A good building starts with a substantial foundation.

No matter where you go from there, that base is an opening action, an announcement, a public sign of things to come. Whether it’s a new home for humans, hoopties, heirlooms, or the future site of industry or ideas, the foundation is the start of something exciting. In a new business and as in the new book, “Black Founder” by Stacy Spikes, it needs to be solid.

With high school graduation on the horizon, Stacy Spikes was itching to move.

His hometown of Houston, Texas, had become “too small” to hold his dreams. Education was important in his family, but college held no interest to him either. Instead, he was going to Los Angeles to chase a career in music and movies.

He broke the news to his parents and, with $300 in his pocket, he drove northwest.

Once in California, Spikes quickly understood that he didn’t need a job, he needed several of them. Before he could get settled, though, he fell in with a bad crowd and was hospitalized to help him kick drugs and alcohol abuse.

He returned to a job he had working with a two-in-one company in Encino, making and packaging videos. The men he worked with mentored him; it was there that he learned the need to “go to extra lengths to meet [someone] in their field.”

Spikes took acting classes and absorbed as much as he could about old-time Black comedians. He built a recording studio in his home and learned to make album covers, which led him to a job at Motown, where he went into sales and learned how to make an impression. The “Black Godfather”

Williams served on Board of Directors of the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal (OCCUR) for many years and was awarded for her community service endeavors.

A charter and lifetime member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), she served as political action director on their state board for many years. BWOPA President Dezie WoodsJones stated that “Anita had a passion for serving and loved being engaged in politics as a change agent for the underserved.”

As a dedicated and active member of Oakland’s Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, Wil-

By Ned MacKay

Whenever you visit an East Bay Regional Park or any other public open space, it’s really essential to bring a map with you.

taught him that it was possible to talk with anyone, Black or white, with honesty. And before he founded Urbanworld Film Festival and MoviePass, Motown helped him see that to succeed, “You didn’t need an army, just a small group of like-minded souls set on making a difference.”

Readers looking for a good business biography are in for a nice surprise when they read “Black Founder.” They’ll also get some entrepreneurial advice. It’s not bold-face or bulleted; you’ll have to look for it, but it’s in there.

“Transparency” is what author Stacy Spikes learned early, and it’s what he applies inside this book, which is refreshing. This isn’t a book about a meteoric rise; Spikes instead writes about setbacks, both personal and professional, and times of struggle. Readers can imagine a Parkour-like hustle that Spikes describes as he overcame seemingly catastrophic events and still landed with both feet; such tales serve to instruct as much as does the actual instruction.

Though it may seem to lag a bit — especially for older readers, or those who are unfamiliar with the businesses Spikes founded — “Black Founder” is entertaining enough to read for fun, with a side dish of instruction. Whether you’re ready to act now or you’re just finding your inner entrepreneur, to launch your idea, it’s a good base.

Here’s a rags-to-riches story for you: “Never Far from Home” by Bruce Jackson (Atria, $28) is the story of Jackson’s life. He was born in Brooklyn and lived his early life in public housing. At age ten, he was arrested for robbery (which he didn’t do) and he caught the attention of drug dealers. Knowing then that that wasn’t the kind of life he wanted, Jackson worked hard to overcome his background. His story is inspiring and awe-striking.

liams was a Bible Study teacher for many years. She also developed the Saturday morning Neighborhood Outreach Program establishing a premier standard of excellence for the ministry by greeting and praying with neighbors and residents in the community.

Williams will be deeply missed by all who loved and knew her. She is survived by her sister Paula, brother-in-law James and other family members who were present at her passing.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 18, 3:30 p.m. at Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, 7007 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, California 94605.

With map in hand or on smart phone, you can keep track of where you are, determine trail distances, and locate toilets, drinking water fountains, and other park features. Within the Regional Parks, there are trail markers at each trail junction. In many of the parks, numbers on the signposts correspond to numbers on the park brochure map for easy reference.

Apart from general convenience, a map can be really important if there’s an emergency, for directing assistance to your location.

Free Regional Park brochures, which include maps and other useful information, are generally available at trailhead information panels. Or you can find maps of the Regional Park you wish to visit on the Park District website, www.ebparks.org/maps.

The site includes information on how to download free Park District maps for use with the Avenza Maps app. Avenza has maps of 42 Regional Parks. Your device GPS will show your real-time location on the map, even while offline. Get the app on your mobile browser.

As it happens, there’s a “Marvelous Maps” map-reading program scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 4, at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. If you can’t make it on March 4, Marvelous Maps repeats from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 8.

Also at Black Diamond Mines, naturalist Katie Garchar will lead a two-hour guided hike from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on March 4 in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Along the way, the group will learn about the role of women during the park’s historic coal mining era. The activity is for ages 7 and older; parental participation is necessary. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water.

Both programs are free and registration is not required. For either

Continued on page 8

“Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider” by Stacy Spikes

c.2023, Dafina, $28.00, 256 pages

(Left to right) Asm. Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), Attorney General Rob Bonta, Asm. Mia Bonta (D-Oakland),

Political Briefs...

Heather Hutt who was appointed to the seat because Mark RidleyThomas is under federal indictment. Each member elected on or after the passage of Proposition 28, in 2012, is allowed to serve a lifetime maximum of 12 years in the state Legislature, or a combination of service in the Assembly and Senate. Holden has been in office since December 2014 and Jones-Sawyer has served in the

Assembly since December 2012.

Public Policy of California

Releases Profile of Black Community

As Black History Month draws to a close, the Public Policy Institute of California has released a profile of Black Californians titled “California’s African American Community.”

New York, and North Carolina),” the report reads before giving an overview of the history of Black people in California and pointing out that only 3% of California’s Black population are non-citizens and only 4% are naturalized.

Visiting a Park...

Continued from page 5 Continued from page 5 program, meet the naturalist in the upper parking lot on Somersville Road, 3.5 miles south of Highway 4 and a mile past the park’s entrance kiosk. Heavy rain may cancel. For information, call 510544-2750. Check the Park District website for closure notifications.

“One in 20 Black Americans lived in California in the most recent Census count, and California’s Black population is larger than that of all but five other states (Texas, Georgia, Florida,

According to the profile, Black Californians “lag behind other groups in college graduation, home ownership, and income.”

When it comes to political participation, Black people engage in the electoral process at rates almost equal to their white counterparts.

Wildlife games are on the agenda from 11 a.m. to noon on Sunday, March 5, and again at the same time on Sunday, May 7 at Big Break Regional Shoreline in

Oakley. The program is for kids ages 5-12; adult participation is required. Join in naturalist-led games to test your wildlife skills and learn how Big Break animals survive.

The program is free and registration is not necessary. Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. Meet at the park’s sand pit. For information, call 510-544-3050.

The history of the Niles Canyon Transcontinental Railway, including the role of Chinese workers, is the theme of a program from

noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, at the visitor center in Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve with naturalist Erica Stephens.

Stephens will tell stories of how the Chinese workers built a legacy that shaped East Bay lands up to the present day.

The program is free and registration is not required. Sunol Wilderness is located at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For information, call 510-544-3249.

Funding Reparations...

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presentation was a condensed introduction to the wealth disparity resulting from chattel slavery and Jim Crow laws and the connection to wealth transfer and wealth taxation.

Odom, however, emphasized that their idea to use the tax code is intentional but it is not a manipulation of the federal tax system.

“I really think that it is so important to set the narrative — and that narrative isn’t around who’s getting something for nothing, but what we are going to do about this gross wealth disparity,” Odom said. “We need to solve this problem for all Americans, but especially for Black Americans.”

Odom — a Chicago estate and tax planning attorney who works at Northern Trust and conducts racial wealth disparity speaking engagements across the country — is a fellow of the American Col-

lege of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is one of five Black tax attorneys among ACTEC’s 2,500 fellows.

Established in Los Angeles in 1949, ACTEC is a nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors skilled and experienced in the preparations of wills and trusts; estate planning; and probate procedure and management of trusts and estates of the deceased, minors and helpless.

Odom and Moore Johnson explained that the racial wealth gap

started to expand in 1981 when Ronald Reagan was in office and the biggest tax cut in history took place. Odom said reparations would be an opportunity to replace “swollen wealth” with the “stolen wealth” of Black people.

Moore-Johnson, an estate planning lawyer, and a founding partner at Birchstone Moore in Washington, D.C., became president of the city’s Estate Planning Council three weeks after George Floyd was murdered in 2020. She is also an ACTEC fellow.

The Quilters of Gee’s Bend

—The New York Times

In March of 2021, during a national ACTEC meeting, Odom and Johnson came up with the idea of funding reparations for slavery through the estate tax. They started their research to better understand the history of slavery, post-slavery, reparations, and the wealth gap. Through their research, the duo learned that the racial wealth gap exists, partly, because of the way the federal tax code is set up.

Task force member Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) stated that the tax attorney’s recommendations provided a “clear road map” to reparations.

“All that said, I think it’s comforting, informative and powerful,” Bradford said after the tax attorneys’ presentation. “As a legislator, the takeaway is, we can afford it. This is a debt that’s owed.”

Dorothy A. Brown addressed the task force by teleconference and shared her views about reparations and the tax code. She is a tax professor at Georgetown Law and the author of the book, “The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans and How We Can Fix It.”

Brown’s literature goes to the core of how the complex federal tax system disadvantages the Black community and how it has helped white households secure more solid financial standing.

“Our tax laws as written have a racially disparate impact. Black Americans are less likely to gain access to their tax breaks than their white peers receive,” Brown said. “Therefore, (Black Americans) are more likely to pay higher taxes than their white peers.”

Brown told the task force that she supports a “wealth tax credit applicable to all taxpayers and households,” which would serve the majority of Black people and be available to all “regardless of race and ethnicity.”

“I want to be clear that I’m not providing tax advice or guidance for providing a possible analysis of any reparations payments,” Brown said. “I leave it to your tax council (economic experts) to make a final determination that you would rely upon moving forward.”

South African Play...

Continued from page 2 shed tears as white Christian missionaries locked them up, thus destroying their ability to provide spiritual guidance to their tribesmen and women.

In his signature style, the first scene becomes the final scene as well, but for nearly two hours, Moroke takes the audience through the events that led to the kings’ capture.

“There are three things which control the world: economics, politics and religion,” said Moroke. “When a nation is ruling well within these three sectors, that nation becomes the most powerful nation in the world. So, white Christian missionaries took charge in Africa in these three sectors and used religion through the Bible to destroy and rule us.

“Every generation has its mandate and the last generation had politics as its mandate,” Moroke said. “As someone representing the current generation, the mandate is to revisit indigenous and spiritual history and go back to the core problems which led to apartheid. I am trying to answer a question of this generation in terms of what went wrong, and why are we here after all the struggles and voting in 1994.”

Although I could not piece it all together due to language barriers and lack of context, as I sat in the audience, I knew what I was watching was very moving and powerful.

There were some audience members crying because the play resonated with their backgrounds as African people. And, for others, the play resonated in terms of family whether it was family disfunction or affection.

Two Xhosa people said that when the ‘king’ was coming onto the stage, they had a vision of that actual king coming. Another sangoma said she learned many things from Moroke’s character about the discipline of a sangoma.

For more information direct message Africa Creations on social media: Facebook Africa-Creations; Instagram @africa_creations; Twitter @Afric_Creations; or email africacreationsmail@ gmail.com and watch YouTube videos @africacreations8130.

Co-Presented by the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and the Peralta Community College District

"Some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced"

Oscar Grant Foundation Annual Gala Fundraiser Features Music, Prayer, Remembrance

lifted the audience.

The mothers of unjustly murdered Black men were honored, including family members of Emmett Till who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.

The gala featured scholarship presentations and a live auction with original artwork created by local artists. Oscar Grant’s mother, Rev. Wanda Johnson-Moore, thanked guests for their support and encouraged them to go out in the world and spread love.

Newly elected Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price shared her experience of being part of Oscar Grant’s family’s legal team and vowed her continued support. Oscar Grant’s uncle, Cephus Johnson, aka Uncle Bobby X, provided a progress report on the foundation’s accomplishments.

Each year, the fundraiser gala brings together supporters of the foundation to raise funds for its programs and services that build bridges between Black citizens and the police along with supporting mothers and families who have lost their children to gun violence at the hands of police.

By Carla Thomas

The Oscar Grant Foundation hosted its 13th annual fundraiser gala on Saturday, February 25, at Scott’s Seafood Restaurant in Jack London Square.

The foundation was created to honor the life of Oscar Grant, a young African American man who was fatally shot by a BART police officer on New Year’s Day in 2009. Since the officer only served one year in jail, the foundation was created to promote social justice and community awareness through education, youth outreach, and advocacy.

The event was held two days before what would have been Oscar Grant’s 37th birthday.

Themed “Pathways to Whole-

ness,” the event featured a keynote address by Bishop Jerry Macklin of Glad Tidings Church of God in Christ in Hayward, who encouraged the audience to live up to their full potential

The event was MC’d by Elder Andrae Rodgers, who kept the audience entertained and engaged throughout the evening and MAJOR, a Grammy-nominated singer, serenaded the crowd with his hit song “Why I Love You.” MAJOR said, “Stevie Wonder described it as the wedding song of the year.”

Musical selections from threetime Grammy-winner Dr. Dorinda Clark-Cole brought the best of gospel. Cole’s melodic singing of “Your Grace and Mercy” and “Blessed and Highly Favored” up-

Community Backs Thao...

Continued from page 1

reverse or hobble recent progressive election victories in Oakland and Alameda County.

“The people who lost in the mayoral campaign do not like the fact that we have Sheng Thao in office, do not like that we have a

core of progressive city council members in office,’ said Riley, an Oakland lawyer and civil rights activist.

Among other speakers at the rally were Stewart Chen, president Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council; Barry Szeto, CEO of Pa-

Holy Names University...

Continued from page 1

er HNU’s leaders are interested in seeking alternatives to closing the institution and selling the property.

After HNU’s trustees closure announcement in December, several community leaders asked for a meeting with Board of Trustees

Chair Steven Borg to offer assistance, a meeting he refused to attend.

In January, other leaders asked for a meeting with Borg to discuss a specific proposal for a partnership to keep the campus open. That meeting request was also refused.

dergraduates at the beautiful 60acre campus with gorgeous views overlooking Oakland and the San Francisco Bay.

In response to Oakland Post questions, Borg did not offer to collaborate with Preston Hollow but criticized the letter for “false and misleading information while also claiming to be operating in good faith with HNU.”

He said HNU’s commitment is to operate the college until May 2023 and to “get the highest value for the property.”

“Our programs are designed to build self-esteem in youth from the East Bay, and we encourage young people and the police to find creative ways to see themselves and others as full of potential instead of a threat,” said Johnson-Moore.

Johnson-Moore, founder of the foundation, expressed her gratitude to the guests for their support and encouraged them to continue spreading love in the world. Moore’s message and shared experience will be amplified in a new documentary, “Black Mothers Love and Resist” the first featurelength documentary to examine the “Mothers of the Movement.”

The film features a growing, nationwide network of mothers whose African-American children have been murdered or attacked in acts of racist violence. The film ex-

Recently, Oakland City Council members have been working to find a way to preserve the mission of educating the university’s multiracial student body as teachers, nurses, social workers and un-

Barbara Lee...

Continued from page 1

gresswoman, she has passed 67 bills and resolutions into laws, wrote the first Violence Against Women Act, passed the Hate Crime Reduction Act, and more. She also founded a community health center and an employment center.

Lee was the only member of Congress brave enough to take a stand and vote against using military force after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, citing concerns about the potential for an openended war and catastrophic civilian casualties. (She turned out to be right: U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan war lased 20 years.)

Lee is currently the highestranking Black woman appointed to House Democratic leadership with a record of transformative change on issues.

While Lee’s opponents include

He said that HNU had not missed any payments on its $50 million loan. “Instead, the default was technical in nature.”

This week, faculty and staff at HNU are meeting to discuss these new developments and to consider options that may exist to continue

fellow California democratic representatives Adam Schiff and Katie Porter who are younger in years, Lee’s accomplishments speak volumes.

Lee considers her work a calling and passionately feels that housing and quality healthcare are basic human rights “in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.”

“I also came to pick a fight in Washington to fight for dignity, freedom, peace, and justice,” she said.

Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Los Angeles, Lee began her political journey campaigning for Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale’s 1973 Oakland mayoral run.

“I was a single parent on public assistance volunteering for the Black Panther Party’s feeding program for children,” said Lee.

Lee also served as a staffer for the late U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums,

North Oakland Baptist Church...

Continued from page 1

cific Renaissance Plaza Residential Association; Pamela Drake, Wellstone Democratic Club; Liz Suk, executive director, Oakland Rising Action; and Elaine Peng, president, Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities. Armstrong appealed his firing last week, saying it was a wrongful and retaliatory termination that should be overturned.

a higher education institution on the campus.

One possibility that excites many members of the Oakland community is the possibility of a partnership with a Historically Black College or University as part of a comprehensive plan to maintain the campus as a center of higher education.

Holy Names is an accredited, Roman Catholic, co-educational university founded by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1868. Originally established as the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart by six members of a teaching order from Quebec, Canada, the original site of the convent was on the shores of Lake Merritt. In 1957, the school moved to its present location in the Oakland hills.

rising from intern to chief of staff.

“Dellums taught me to be a progressive coalition builder,” said Lee. When Dellums resigned in 1998, he encouraged Lee to run for his seat in Congress.

From 1990 to 1998, Lee represented the East Bay in the California Legislature until she was elected to Congress making her the first woman of color to represent Northern California in Congress.

Lee has advocated for environmental justice, co-founding the Congressional Black Caucus Environmental Justice Task Force and has worked to protect the rights of people with disabilities, homelessness and housing insecurity. Fighting voter suppression, Lee supported the creation of the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act.

She has supported policies to ensure equal pay for women and access to reproductive healthcare.

By Ken Epstein

Split 3-3, the Oakland School

Board deadlocked on a district budget proposal containing program cuts, layoffs, school mergers and closures on Tuesday night.

The budget, which was rushed to the school board only 24 hours after it was released, was backed by Oakland Unified School District Supt. Kyla Johnson-Trammell and Board President Mike Hutchinson.

Board members voted on two resolutions: the first was to give Johnson-Trammell the authority to make cuts and consolidate schools; the second was to give the required legal March 15 notice to allow staff to be laid off.

On the first resolution, board members voting in favor of the cuts were Hutchinson and Clifford Thompson. Sam Davis abstained. Voting ‘no’ were VanCedric Williams, Jennifer Brouhard, and Valarie Bachelor. On the second resolution, Hutchinson, Davis and Thompson supported the layoffs while Williams, Brouhard, and Bachelor voted against them.

Though the school district has a budget surplus, the proposed budget contains about 100 layoffs of classified workers, program cuts at schools, a hiring freeze and mergers or closures of 10 schools. Supporters claim these cuts are necessary in order to provide teachers and other school employees raises this year.

In a statement, the teachers’ union – the Oakland Education Association (OEA) – opposed the budget proposal: “It is completely disingenuous to present these cuts as necessary to fund a raise for educators and school employees,” the union said.

“OUSD got $54 million in new state funding this year. Neighboring districts have already agreed to large raises without cuts or school closures.”

Union leader Kampala TaizRancifer said on Facebook that the proposed “adjustments are cuts!” and “mergers are closures!”

She continued: “Cutting 100 jobs? There are no OEA members that want a raise on the backs of other workers or on the backs of

students. Whoever thinks this is a good idea is disgusting.”

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board seemed to go into closed session for hours as members attempted to resolve their differences over the budget proposals. (Discussion of the budget in closed session potentially could be a violation of the Brown Act, which requires meeting to be held in public.)

After the meeting, Hutchinson bemoaned the failure of the budget plan to pass.

“I’m extremely frustrated and deeply disappointed,” he said on Facebook. “OUSD was preparing to give a historic raise to OEA. Now because of some questionable advocacy, and directors flipflopping and changing their votes at the last minute, the school board did not approve any budget adjustments before the March 15 statutory deadline to notice employees.

“This now means that OUSD has no resources to offer OEA a salary increase,” he continued. “I hope the folks responsible for this mess are held accountable.”.

and CashApp. My executive board and I plan to use the donations to issue a check and present to the Office of the Alameda County Assessor’s Office next week.” Gaddis says through his organization, funds collected can not only help save (NOMBC), but other organizations that may have a similar need if donations exceed the initial need. Donation vehicles include CashApp: $CMBSC for North Oakland Release Fund and Givelify: California Missionary Baptist State Convention. Cash or in-person donations can be sent to CMBSC Headquarters, 8704 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, California 90003.

Reverend Rutledge says he will be grateful for any and all donations to save the church.

Oakland Post Publisher Paul Cobb immediately visited Pastor Rutledge and offered a $1,000 challenge donation that would be paid directly to the county. Cobb called several pastors and immediately received commitments from Rev. Gerald Agee, Rev. Lawrence Van Hook, Rev. Ray Williams, Rev. Raymond Lankford and several other ministers.

He expects to raise the remaining $25,000 on or before March 10.

“Ironically, several ministers and the Post had just completed a planning session to create a faithbased city-wide one-hundred-million-dollar trust fund for the purposes of saving church properties, building affordable housing for their seniors and other members, renovating, upgrading and making energy efficient “green sanctuaries.”

Cobb also announced that he and five ministers would ask several Asian community leaders to

petition the mayor and the governor to provide a continual racial healing help grant of one million dollars to the 12 Oakland churches that provide food up to three times weekly to all visitors.

“Because North Oakland Baptist is a beacon of light for hope and cooperation, because it is located between the “Ghost-town” and “Dog-Town” neighborhoods and it is heart-warming to see the earlybird Asian neighbors patiently and fearlessly waiting in line alongside their young Black neighbors,” Cobb said.

Rev. Van Hook and Rev. Agee are encouraging donors to make checks to the County Assessor’s Office to prevent the foreclosure of

historic North Oakland Baptist. NOMBC has a long-standing history. Prior to becoming North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church in 1922, the first congregation was organized in 1904-1905 as Richard Clark Memorial Church.

The church body had first met in the homes of members until the church made its home at 843 29th Street near San Pablo Avenue. By 1921, the church expanded to include the building at 32nd and Linden which had been home to St. Paul’s English Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1930, the church building burned, but the congregation soon rebuilt.

The old building on 29th is now home to the True Gospel Missionary Baptist Church.

: (l-r): Oscar Grant’s mother, Rev. Wanda Johnson-Moore, founder of the Oscar Grant Foundation; Oscar Grant’s uncle, Cephus Johnson; Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor at the Oscar Grant Foundation’s 13th Annual Gala at Scott’s Seafood Restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square.